Voice of the Stars: Wolf
by helenium
Summary: For the first time in countless years, the Stars have gone silent toward the three tribes of the Northwest Forests. However, Fallen Pine of the Tribe of Many Rivers claims to still hear their voices. Quiet Storm, a young fledgling, knows this isn't true. She hears the voice of Wolf in her dreams, and Wolf tells her that Fallen Pine is a liar. It's time for a legend to return...
1. Prologue and Allegiances

**PROLOGUE**

At the beginning of time, long before there were cats who wandered the wilds, there were four great beasts. They lived in the Stars, and had been formed from the Stars as well. Their names were Wolf, Eagle, Bear, and Crow. Although they had each other, they longed to create something of their own.

Wolf, who was clever and agile, longed for a family to hunt with. She created wolves, who lived in packs so they would never be alone.

Eagle, who was swift and had eyes that could see for many distances, wanted guardians for the skies he loved. He created eagles, who watched over the skies with careful eyes and flew with enormous wings.

Bear, who was strong and fierce, wanted large creatures who could wander the forests and also swim great rivers. He created bears, who with fierce strength just as his own could survive the harshest weather.

And finally Crow, who was solemn and wise, longed for nothing at all for herself. Instead, she wished to have creatures who would guide all of the mortal beings back to the Stars once their time was done. So she created crows, with wisdom and wings that could guide the dead back home.

The great beasts all had what they had wanted for themselves; family, guards, survivors, and guides. But there was something missing. Together, they called upon the Stars once more, and created something unlike any of them.

Wolf gave her agility and the strong ties of family. Eagle gave his eyesight and need to protect. Bear gave his strength and ability to adapt to anything. Crow gave her calm, the ability to speak to the Stars while alive, and the promise to return to the Stars when their time alive was over.

Combining all of these gifts, they created cats, and gave them a place in the mountains.

But the cats were disorganized. They wandered about with no direction. They fought each other for prey, or starved alone. They shouted to the Stars for help, but the great beasts could not speak to them all at once.

Crow found a solution. She took her gift of talking to the Stars and gave it to three cats only. Then, she split them into three groups, each in different territories that suited them and each with one cat that could speak to the Stars. They were divided, but united, and each had what they needed.

However, many cats resented this. They wanted to go wherever they pleased, hunt for themselves only, and live separate from the stars.

From their resentment, a darkness grew inside of Crow, like an infection. It was born from a hatred of the Stars, the opposite of what Crow had wanted. It was Coyote. Coyote was tricky, and refused to ally with the other beast's rules. He became chaos and malice. He ate the remains of other's catches and lived alone with no family or friends. Everyone was his enemy.

He sought out the hearts of the defecting cats, and encouraged them to leave the Tribes and spread chaos. He grew stronger and stronger, until his power was so great that it blocked out the Stars and prevented them from speaking to their chosen cats.

In this time of greatest need, the Wolf, Bear, and Eagle gathered what little power they had left. Crow was too weak from Coyote's sickness inside of her. The remaining three beasts sent their power to three cats, speaking through them and lending their power to them, a power to defeat Coyote.

Their plan worked, and Coyote was destroyed. His memory was erased from the tribe cats so they would not be tempted to follow his tricks again.

Legend says, however, that one day he will return, finding another cat to tempt toward chaos.

This is where our story begins...

* * *

 **THE TRIBE OF MANY RIVERS**

 **LEADER** : Hare Leap- big white molly with sharp yellow eyes

 **SECOND** : Flame Path- long-legged tortoiseshell molly

 **HEALER** : Fallen Pine- red-brown tabby tom

 **SENTRIES** (cats who fight and guard the territory):

Hawk Feather- brown tabby tom

Playful Brook- pretty grey dappled molly

Starling Swoop- black and white tom with blue eyes

Leaping Trout- strong silver molly

 **SCOUTS** (cats who hunt and retrieve):

Fox Chaser- ginger tabby molly with white markings

Clever Raven- lithe black tom

Dawn Song- pale ginger tabby and white molly

Curled Fern- brown tabby and white tom with green eyes

Lion's Pounce- light brown tabby tom

 **FLEDGLINGS** (cats 6 moons or older training to be scouts and sentries):

Quiet Storm- dark grey molly with a white splash on her face, fledgling sentry

Deer Eyes- fawn colored tabby tom, fledgling sentry

Speckled Pebble- tortoiseshell and white molly, fledgling scout

 **QUEENS** (pregnant or nursing mollies):

Rippling Water- long furred grey tabby molly, expecting Clever Raven's kits.


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

"Quiet Storm, Deer Eyes, it's time to head back!" called Playful Brook.

The two fledgling sentries were marking their scent along the edge of the river that separated the Tribe of Many Rivers from the Tribe of White Fields. The name suited them; Quiet Storm could see the countless white blossoms that covered every inch beyond the river.

"Thank the Stars," Deer Eyes grumbled. "I thought we'd be out here until the stars came out."

Quiet Storm snickered, but Playful Brook silenced both of them with a sharp look.

Quiet Storm flicked her tail and started off back toward camp, following behind Deer Eyes and Playful Brook. The dusk light turned the sky pink and gold, dappled white with clouds. The air was warm and the sound of buzzing insects accompanied the gently flowing river. Finding herself dawdling to enjoy the calm sunset, Quiet Storm quickened her pace to catch up.

"I hope the scouts brought back something good tonight. Like a hare," she remarked to Deer Eyes.

The fawn colored tom twitched his whiskers. "You're going to eat a hare by yourself?"

"Well, I _was_ going to share with you, but if you insist, I suppose I could finish one off…"

Deer Eyes nudged her playfully. "If there's a hare, I'll tear it in half before I let you have one to yourself."

"Not if I get to it first!" Quiet Storm kicked off, breaking into a run. She grinned to herself, hearing Deer Eyes' taunts behind her.

"Wait!"

"No way, Deer Eyes!"

"I didn't say anything," Deer Eyes called.

Quiet Storm skid to a stop and looked over her shoulder. Deer Eyes and Playful Brook were heading back toward the river, which was still in view. Beyond the river, she could see two cats standing side by side. Curious at who they were, she trotted briskly to Playful Brook's side.

"We were hoping a patrol would be passing by," said the cat to the left. He was a large brown tabby tom, larger than most White Fields cats, but still slender like them.

"You're in luck," Playful Brook murmured. She was eying the cats carefully. Once she saw the other cat, however, she dipped her head respectfully. "Owl Talon, this is Quiet Storm and Deer Eyes, fledgling sentries." Playful Brook looked back toward the fledglings. "And this is Owl Talon, healer of the Tribe of White Fields."

Quiet Storm and Deer Eyes quickly dipped their heads.

Owl Talon nodded placidly, though she looked concerned. "This is Tall Alder." She motioned at the large tom. "If you could escort us to camp, I'd like to speak with Hare Leap. I have important news to deliver."

"What news?" Playful Brook said.

"You'll find out soon enough. Right now, I just need to see Hare Leap," Owl Talon said hurriedly.

Playful Brook simply nodded. "I'll guide you to a shallow part of the river. You can cross there."

Once the two cats were safely across, the patrol guided them to camp at a brisk pace. Soon enough, they crossed through the fallen tree tunnel that lead into Many Rivers' camp: a dry lakebed.

Cats of all shapes and sizes milled about, chatting, sharing prey, or making routine repairs to the log and moss dens. Quiet Storm purred softly to herself. Returning to camp after a long patrol made her feel comfortable, like this was the place she belonged in.

As they entered, a few cats stopped to look at them. They no doubt had smelled the strong floral scent of White Fields cats, and noticed the two cats were strangers among the patrol.

"Quiet Storm, Deer Eyes, go and get something to eat. I'll take our guests to Hare Leap," Playful Brook commanded.

The two fledglings heeded, and trotted off toward the fresh kill pile.

Quiet Storm looked over the pile and frowned. "No hare."

"It's getting to leaf-fall, feel lucky we have this much prey," Deer Eyes mumbled through the furry red squirrel he had in his jaws.

Quiet Storm sighed with annoyance. Sometimes Deer Eyes could be such a grump. But sometimes he was funny, too, so she could tolerate being fledglings with him. She grabbed a trout off of the pile, enjoying the fishy taste of the juices as her teeth sank into it. She carried the prey off toward a big fern by the fledglings' den.

Until she lied down with the trout, she didn't realize how tired she was. She'd been battle training with Starling Swoop all morning, practice sparring with Deer Eyes in the afternoon, and on the patrol at dusk. Now, the sky was darkening overhead, and the twinges of salmon pink she'd seen in the clouds had almost entirely faded. She yawned, then took a bite of the fish. She couldn't wait to get into her nest tonight. It always seemed comfier after a long day.

Looking across camp, she could see Owl Talon talking to Hare Leap. The big white leader looked stoic, as usual, so Quiet Storm couldn't tell what the news was from her reaction. After a few minutes of talking, Hare Leap flicked her feathery tail and walked toward the Half Tree. Quiet Storm hadn't noticed that Fallen Pine was standing behind the leader. He accompanied her to the Half Tree, sitting to the left as healers did during tribe meetings. Flame Path, Hare Leap's second, sat to her right.

"Cats of the Tribe of Many Rivers, gather to hear my words," Hare Leap called from the top of the Half Tree. From her perch, she towered above the whole camp, and twice as big as she did on the ground. Quiet Storm remembered being frightened of the leader as a kitten because of how she towered over even the taller cats of the tribe.

Quiet Storm licked her paws clean, having buried the bones of the trout just outside of camp. She gathered along with the rest of the cats, sitting beside Deer Eyes and Speckled Pebble, a fledgling scout.

"I saw you and Deer Eyes bring those cats to camp," the tortoiseshell molly whispered to Quiet Storm. "Who are they?"

"The healer of White Fields is the molly, and the tom is a sentry," Quiet Storm responded. "They had some news, but wouldn't say what."

Once most of the cats had taken their place below the Half Tree, Hare Leap spoke again. "Owl Talon, healer of the Tribe of White Fields, has come to share important news. This is a serious matter, and I expect all of you to show Owl Talon the same respect you would show me."

Hare Leap jumped down from the tree and sat beside Flame Path. Owl Talon took the position, scrabbling a bit to leap up. She looked much smaller compared to Hare Leap, her lithe figured different than Hare Leap's furry bulk.

The healer took a deep breath before speaking. "The Stars have gone silent." She stated simply.

A few murmurs coursed through the crowd of cats.

"I do not hear them in my dreams, or see their faces in the Falls. Normally, I hear them nightly, but I have not heard anything in seven sunrises."

The murmurs grew into shouts, cries of shock, despair, and confusion.

"Do the other healers know about this?" A voice declared, louder than the others.

The crowd parted slightly around Clever Raven, a scout. He was known for speaking his mind. He held his head high, and stared directly at Owl Talon.

Owl Talon shifted on her paws. "Yes. I spoke with Dark Cloud of Broken Stones this morning, and your healer Fallen Pine just a moment ago. Both had also not heard from the Stars in the past seven sunrises."

Attention shifted to Fallen Pine. He said nothing, but nodded sharply in confirmation.

"The Stars are strange beings," Owl Talon continued. "Sometimes they are quiet toward us. The spirits of our ancestors and the Great Beasts are volatile, and not like us, but they are wiser and know what they are doing. It's…difficult to determine their intentions right now." She paused, and looked at her paws. "Tomorrow night, at the full moon, we will all meet at the Falls. Not just healers- all cats who are well enough to leave camp may come. There, we will try to reconnect with the Stars. With all of our cats combined, perhaps our words will be strong enough to reach them."

The cats below her voiced their agreement. As long as there was still hope, they were pleased.

"That is all." Owl Talon was silent for a moment. "I hope to see you all tomorrow night." With that, she scrabbled down from the Half Tree.

"You are dismissed," Hare Leap said, ending the meeting. "Playful Brook, please escort Owl Talon and Tall Alder back to the border."

By now, the sky was dark and full of stars. Quiet Storm yawned, and stretched her neck. She longed for her nest. She mewed a soft good-night to Speckled Pebble and Deer Eyes before the three fledglings headed to their den- a hollow log covered in the remains of water plants and moss.

The moment Quiet Storm curled up in her moss nest, she felt herself grow heavy and drift into sleep. Everything was warm, and dark…

Then it was light. Bright, white light. And cold. A freezing wind penetrated through her fur and pierced her skin like shards of ice.

She looked up. The sky was solid pale grey, and snow flurried down in every direction. She could see her breath in front of her in clouds, and her chest heaved.

She was running, and fast. Her paws sent up puffs of snow with each bound. She dodged trees and darted over rocks, running faster than she'd ever run before. That's when she saw what she was running after. A beautiful doe ran in front of her, a foxlength or two out of her reach. It ran in graceful leaps, a stark contrast to her frenzied pace.

Quiet Storm focused on her target. No cat could take down a deer; they were too large and could easily fight back. It was a bit of a taboo to eat deer meat as well, as a carcass found was often killed by…

Wolves. A pack 20 strong ran behind her, breathing as heavily as she was and running just as fast. It didn't seem like they were chasing her, though. No, she was leading them. They were _her_ pack, and they were going to catch the deer.

The wolves came up beside her, huge and heavy-pawed. She was in awe of their ferocity, their determination. They pulled closer and closer to the doe as it tired and they only grew more energized. Quiet Storm was so close, she could feel the heat from it's body.

The doe took a sharp turn, but the pack did not. Quiet Storm stopped, confused. They were so close! The pack swarmed around her, running forward still. She paused, hunched over, trying to catch her breath. If they weren't running after the deer, why were they running?

She turned around slowly, hearing nothing but her own beating heart. In the near distance, a creature was running toward her- fast. It looked like a wolf, but smaller, and brown. Its eyes were wild and hungry. It growled, showing sharp yellow teeth. She'd heard of a creature like this in stories, but they hadn't been seen in the mountains for hundreds of generations. It was a coyote.

Quiet Storm tried to run, but her paws would not move. She felt fear rising in her chest as it raced toward her. Its jaws parted, and it lunged.

She woke up to soft sunlight and the sound of Speckled Pebble breathing next to her. It had just been a dream, a very vivid dream. She sighed, and got to her paws slowly, feeling more tired than when she'd gone to sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

The forest was quiet, save for the sound of many pawsteps crunching on the earth. It was Dry Grass Moon, and it seemed like every blade crackled underpaw. Quiet Storm looked around, idly staring at the stars above and the trees around. Their leaves were already turning yellow and orange. It seemed like Falling Leaves moon was approaching.

"You haven't said anything since we left camp," Deer Eyes remarked.

Quiet Storm stared back at him with wide blue eyes. "I've been thinking."

"About the Stars?"

"I had a dream last night. But it felt strange- it felt really real." She fluffed up her fur against a breeze.

"What, do you think it's a message from the Stars or something?" he said, a teasing tone in his voice.

Quiet Storm huffed. She could feel his disdain. "No. Maybe. I don't know. I'm not a healer, and the Stars are silent anyway. That's the whole reason we're going to the Falls."

Deer Eyes sighed. "I just want to be back in my nest. Hawk Feather had me practicing techniques for water battle all afternoon."

"You need it," Quiet Storm muttered, hardly a hint of humor in her tone. "You're as useless in water as a fish on land."

Deer Eyes stuck out his tongue.

Speckled Pebble sidled up to Quiet Storm, head-butting her in the shoulder in greeting. "How are you two just talking right now?" she exclaimed.

Deer Eyes stared at the tortoiseshell with contempt. "Same way we do any other time."

Speckled Pebble narrowed her eyes. "You know what I mean. I was up all night…without the Stars watching us, what happens? In a few days there could be chaos!"

"Calm down. The Stars have been silent before, right?" Quiet Storm said, her voice level. "It's like Owl Talon said- they're mysterious. They know what they're doing."

"I still don't like it," Speckled Pebble murmured. "It feels like they've left us, like we've lost a connection, and I'm not sure that going to the Falls will just suddenly bring them back. The Stars protect us and tell us important messages. Flame Path told me that when she was a kit and Hare Leap was still second, the old healer told her that the Stars said she would be second one day."

Deer Eyes snickered. "She didn't say Flame Path would be leader too, eventually?"

She huffed, and didn't respond.

Quiet Storm flicked her tail. "I'm going to go talk to Playful Brook." With that, she sought out Playful Brook's pretty dappled pelt in the crowd and padded briskly over to her.

Playful Brook purred a friendly greeting. "Something bothering you, Quiet Storm? You look like you're thinking hard."

Quiet Storm took a deep breath. "Do you think dreams have meanings?" she asked.

Playful Brook's ears pricked. "They can. Healers have dreams from the Stars that usually predict something, or share important messages that only the Healers can interpret."

Quiet Storm sighed. That wasn't quite what she meant. "I mean, do you think that regular dreams can have meanings? Not dreams from the Stars?"

"Sure. Sometimes dreams can be about something you want to do, or something you're thinking about. I used to dream about battling a Broken Stones patrol all the time when I was a fledgling."

Quiet Storm nodded. That made sense. "I had a dream last night…I was chasing a deer with a pack of wolves. Then I turned around, and a coyote was chasing me. Or, I think it was a coyote. I've never really seen one."

"Neither have I," said Playful Brook, flicking her tail. "They haven't lived in the mountains for many moons, and for good reason too. They were scavengers who killed for fun and stole catches from all animals. They used to steal from the fresh kill pile, according to stories."

"I'm glad they're gone, then. But do you think that it meant anything?"

Playful Brook paused for a moment, thinking. "It could mean a few things. It could mean that you're trying to escape something you're afraid of, or that you want to hunt something. Or it could just mean you've heard too many stories about coyotes." She nudged Quiet Storm gently.

Quiet Storm thought for a moment. All of those seemed reasonable. Maybe her imagination was just working too hard. "Thanks."

"Of course. You can always come to me if you need something," Playful Brook purred.

The rumble of water grew closer, and through the trees, Quiet Storm could see they were at the Falls. They started high up on the mountain, beyond the territory of any tribe, and tumbled down in a series of waterfalls. Some were short, and some descended from great heights. The final one, which fell into a pond and then a wide river, was the one that the cats of the tribes gathered around. It was three times as tall as any cat and flowed in a steady sheet, smooth enough to reflect every star.

Once they reached the cleared area around the Falls, Quiet Storm could see that the Tribe of Broken Stones had already gathered. White Fields had still not arrived.

"That's Weasel Tail, the leader," Playful Brook said, gesturing at a brown and white molly among the Broken Stones cats. "The cream tom next to her is Sheep Horns, her second, and the grey molly is Dark Cloud, the healer."

Quiet Storm tried to remember their names and how they looked, as it wasn't often that the three tribes met. They only met as a group four times a year as the seasons changed to share news, troubles, and successes. Healers met at the Falls every new moon, however, when the stars are in full view.

"Do you know any other Broken Stones cats?" Quiet Storm asked.

"I used to see Swan Cry a lot on patrol when she was a fledgling," Playful Brook said, nodding toward a lithe white molly with green eyes. "She was part of what made me want to fight Broken Stones so much," she joked. "Wouldn't shut up! Looks like she's calmed down a bit, though."

Quiet Storm smelled the strong floral scent of White Fields cats, who were coming up the side of the river. She hadn't been to an Assembly yet, and hadn't realized that there were this many cats in the tribes. Not a patch of grass was bare along the river.

The three healers took to a small island in the middle of the pond, the same spot they took during their meetings at the new moon. Quiet Storm recognized Owl Talon from White Fields, and Dark Cloud from Broken Stones, who Playful Brook had just shown her. Fallen Pine was with them as well.

Wordlessly, the healers dipped their heads toward the Falls. Like a ripple, the rest of the tribe cats did the same.

Quiet Storm wasn't sure what the others were thinking, but she reached her thoughts toward the Stars, thinking of them being close to her. She thought of Wolf, Eagle, Bear, and Crow, the Great Beasts who watched over them. She thought of cats who had died, with starry pelts, forever in peace among the Stars. She thought of her parents, she thought of Grey Dove and Rain Fur…

She shook those thoughts away. Not now.

She sent a message to the Stars: _We need you again._

When she opened her ears to the world around her, she heard a strange silence the mountains had never given. It seemed like everything was hushed; even the thundering falls seemed distant and muted.

Then, like a thunderclap, the silence was broken by Fallen Pine's yowl.

"An omen!" he shouted, his voice a slight echo.

Every cat lifted their head to see him. He was standing, body rigid, and staring off into the Falls. No one dared to speak.

"The Stars have spoken to me! They send an omen, to prove their might," he called. "Listen to them, they say, 'We have returned to you in the form of Crow. Do not doubt us.'"

A murmur coursed through the crowd of tribe cats. Some were confused, some relieved, some questioning.

"What about the other healers? What do they hear?" shouted a voice.

"Nothing," stated Dark Cloud simply. Her voice was rough, and Quiet Storm noted she was rather elderly. _She must have a fledgling of her own_ , she thought.

Owl Talon simply shook her head 'no'.

"Why are they only speaking to Fallen Pine?" Quiet Storm heard Lion's Pounce say beside her. He was only a new scout, and had trained along with Quiet Storm for a bit.

That was a real concern. Quiet Storm felt proud of their healer for being the one the Stars chose, but also confused why they weren't speaking to the others. Had the other tribes done something against the Stars?

The healers left the island, returning to their own tribes.

"Return to your camps," called Owl Talon. "Thank you for coming and bringing the Stars back." She took a labored sigh. "And I hope they speak to Dark Cloud and I soon."

The three tribes dispersed, beginning the walk back to camp. Chatter was low, and most was positive. The cats of Many Rivers seemed glad that their healer could speak to the Stars again. But as Quiet Storm walked, she felt something in the pit of her stomach. She tried to shake it off, but it stayed with her, making her uneasy. Something was wrong.

 **AN: Thank you for reading! What do you think the omen means? What do you think Quiet Storm's dream means? Tell me what you think in the reviews!**


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Dawn Song trotted out of the bushes, a chipmunk in her jaws.

"Good catch," purred Curled Fern. "It's getting harder to find prey with the frost setting in."

Dawn Song huffed. "You don't need to tell me."

Quiet Storm shifted on her paws to keep warm. The colder moons were definitely settling in, leaving prey scarcer than ever. Even though Many Rivers could rely on fish during the cold months unlike the other tribes, winter was still hard on them.

"Cold?" Starling Swoop asked, practically reading her mind.

"Yeah." _And bored,_ she wanted to add. Accompanying the scouts on hunts was the worst part of being a sentry. She wasn't even sure why they did it; the scouts could defend themselves perfectly fine in an attack, or at least run fast enough to get help from camp.

"C'mon you two," Dawn Song said, brushing between them as she passed. "I scent something up ahead."

With a short huff, Quiet Storm followed behind Starling Swoop. She saw her breath billow out in a faint foggy cloud in front of her.

Beyond a cluster of bushes, their leaves almost full brown, crouched Dawn Song. Her form was perfect, as far as Quiet Storm knew (she could hunt, as all cats could, but lacked the strategy and extra skill of a scout). Opposite of Dawn Song, Curled Fern crouched similarly. Quiet Storm almost didn't see him; his mostly brown tabby body blended well with the brown grass and leaves.

Slowly, Dawn Song crept forward. Her paws hardly made a sound on the crunchy grass. She put one paw in front of the other, slowly moving toward a hemlock bush. Then, with a leap, she pounced into it. A crow took to the air, cawing loudly. Its cry was cut off, however, by Curled Fern leaping and bringing it down in his claws. Its neck snapped audibly between his teeth.

Curled Fern purred proudly, and turned over the crow a little as he let go of it. But his eyes widened at it, and he hissed sharply. "Stars above," he exclaimed, stepping back.

"What is it?" Quiet Storm responded, moving toward Curled Fern. Dawn Song stepped forward as well, concerned.

The crow lay limp, dull black feathers splayed out onto the frosty grass. Its head turned to the side, beak agape. Looking more closely, Quiet Storm gasped as well. She looked up at Starling Swoop, who still held back. "Its eyes are white. Solid white."

Starling Swoop finished her thought. "Just like Crow's."

"We should bring this back to Fallen Pine," said Dawn Song.

Curled Fern nodded and picked up the crow gently in his jaws. Dawn Song grabbed the chipmunk she'd caught before and followed the patrol back to camp.

Quiet Storm had almost forgotten about Fallen Pine's omen. It had been almost a full moon since they had gone to the Falls, with Falling Leaves Moon almost through now and Frost Moon creeping up. Quiet Storm sighed to herself, feeling foolish for not believing Fallen Pine's words. They must be the words of the Stars. Quiet Storm must have been lost in thought, because they were in camp quicker than she'd expected.

"I'll go get Fallen Pine," said Starling Swoop, padding off toward the healer's den. Almost immediately after he had left, he returned, Fallen Pine close behind.

"Show me the crow," he said, flicking his tail anxiously.

Curled Fern dropped the crow at Fallen Pine's paws. The healer prodded at it, looking it over carefully. He let out a soft "hmm" when he saw its eyes.

"The Stars do not lie to me," Fallen Pine said brightly. "This is Crow's message: a creature in her own image, like she promised!"

Many cats had come from their dens to see the crow, gathering around it and Fallen Pine. They murmured words of excitement and relief that the Stars had returned to them.

"I have spoken to Dark Cloud and Owl Talon on the new moon. They still do not hear the Stars. We'll have to be patient with them," he continued.

The longer that Quiet Storm looked at those white eyes, the more unsettled she felt. She padded away, having seen enough of it. She spotted Deer Eyes over by the fledglings' den, eating a sturgeon. She walked over and sat next to him.

"Have you seen the crow?" Quiet Storm said, looking down at Deer Eyes.

He continued eating, not even looking up at her. "No, I haven't."

"Fallen Pine's omen came true. The Stars really have returned to us," Quiet Storm murmured.

"Great," he said, mouth full.

Quiet Storm narrowed her eyes. "I'm starting to think you don't care."

"Because I don't."

She cuffed him on the ear.

"Hey!"

"At least be polite enough to look at me when I'm talking to you!" she huffed. "I was questioning Fallen Pine when he gave the omen at the Falls, but now it came true…"

"I still don't believe him," said Deer Eyes. He gave a lick to his fawn colored chest.

"Why not?"

"I don't believe in the Stars."

Quiet Storm's eyes widened, but before she could say something, she felt Starling Swoop brush up against her flank. She looked up at him. How long was he standing there?

"Quiet Storm, I need you back out on patrol. Dawn Song and Curled Fern want to try and hunt some more before it gets dark," he said his tone low.

"Oh yeah, of course," Quiet Storm responded. She followed Starling Swoop toward where the two scouts waited, glancing over her shoulder at Deer Eyes as she left.

 **AN: Thanks for reading chapter 3! Double update this week! However, updates may be a little more sporadic because school starts for me on Monday. I'll still try to update every week, but some weeks may be late or have no updates. I love writing this story, though, so I think unless I get really busy that won't happen!**

 **What did you think of this chapter? Why did Fallen Pine's omen come true? Why doesn't Deer Eyes believe in the Stars? Do you think Starling Swoop heard him? Tell me in the reviews! Thanks again for reading!**


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Quiet Storm recognized the heavy feeling in her legs- she was dreaming. Around her was a pine forest, dense with trees. The ground was covered in dry brown grass and a collection of orange pine needles. She scented the air, and the smell was unfamiliar. It strongly smelled of pine, as she expected, but she couldn't scent cats or any other creatures. She shrugged it off; it was a dream. _Playful Brook said dreams don't always make sense_ , she thought.

She began to walk, forest debris crunching underpaw. The chill of Falling Leaves Moon was in the air, though it barely pierced through her thick pelt. She didn't know where she was going in this unfamiliar place, but felt a strange push to move onward.

After walking for a while she paused, looking around. This area of the forest looked no different than where she'd started. But just as she was going to continue on her way, she heard a sound. It echoed around her, solemn and unnerving, but familiar in some way. When the sound ceased, everything was silent.

Quiet Storm swiveled her ears, hearing the last echoes of the eerie howl fade into the distance. _Why have I been dreaming of wolves?_ she wondered silently.

She continued forward, feeling the wind pick up around her. Her long fur fluttered in the air, gently whipping around her. She saw dead pine needles lift from the ground and flurry around in whirling circles before coming to rest down again.

As the wind increased, she heard the howl again, but this time did not stop. The howl was louder this time, and grew louder still, even against the increasing force of the wind. Feeling a strange hum to her right, like a vibration in the earth, she looked beside her.

Walking in step with her was a wolf, twice as tall and steadily staring ahead, locked on a path. As she looked around, she saw she was surrounded by them, a pack of around six. But unlike the pack in her first dream, these wolves were not solid. Their pelts were hazy and if Quiet Storm looked hard enough, she could see through them. Their paws made no noise on the ground.

Quiet Storm wasn't sure of how long she'd been walking, but she saw a clearing where the trees parted up ahead. She picked up her pace, and so did the wolves alongside her. She stopped at the edge, and the wolves stopped as well.

The clearing was completely empty, not a tree, bush, or wildflower marring the perfect circle of empty space. The only thing within it was a wolf.

Quiet Storm walked closer, but the pack stayed at the edge. Looking back for a moment, she saw they had their heads bowed.

 _"They stay back,"_ said the wolf. _"You may come."_

As she walked closer, she realized the she-wolf was much bigger than the others, and a giant compared to her. Standing, Quiet Storm reached to half of the wolf's leg. Her pelt sparkled with stars, and her fur was hazy as well. But most striking about her were her solid white eyes, which glowed like the full moon.

Quiet Storm gasped. "You're Wolf," she said, in awe. She dipped her head in reverence.

Wolf made a soft whine, something like a laugh. _"No need to bow. I should bow to you."_

Quiet Storm lifted her head.

 _"I need your help, Quiet Storm. Cats think the Stars have abandoned them, but they are wrong. We have been forced away from the tribes by Coyote's evil,"_ Wolf growled, spitting out Coyote's name.

"But haven't the Stars been speaking to Fallen Pine? The omen came true, it was a message from Crow." Quiet Storm cocked her head to the side, confused.

 _"He lies!"_ Wolf yelled, her rumbling voice echoing throughout the forest. _"No one has spoken to him but Coyote. He promises Fallen Pine everything he wants, manipulating the hatred that was already within him. Coyote grew strong enough to prevent us from speaking to our healers, and now that most of the tribe cats believe him, he has grown even stronger."_ She shifted her paws, flexing her dull-clawed toes in agitation. _"Quiet Storm, I only have enough power left to speak to one cat, and I believe you are the right choice. You are strong in heart, clever, and calm. I wish to imbue you with my power so that when the time comes, you will have the strength to defeat Coyote."_

Quiet Storm stood in place, stunned. Too much was happening at once. Fallen Pine lied, Coyote wasn't destroyed like in the stories she'd heard, and she was being _chosen_ by Wolf, a Great Beast, to carry her power.

Wolf flicked her enormous tail, causing the dead pine needles around her to swirl into the air. _"I am giving you a choice, Quiet Storm. I will not choose a cat who does not think she is ready for my power. But I believe you are able to learn, even if you are not prepared now."_

Quiet Storm thought for a moment, letting the deafening silence left behind surround her. _Wolf thinks I can learn…_ she mused. She'd put all of her faith into the Stars before, why falter now, in the face of Wolf herself?

She dipped her head toward Wolf. "Yes," she declared, though her voice was shaky. "If…If you believe I can, I'll do anything to help."

Wolf gave a rumbling sound, similar to a cat's purr. _"I knew I came to you for a reason."_

She lifted her snout to the sky and howled, a sound filled with power and beauty. It was like a bird's song, lifting high into the air and surrounding every inch of the forest.

Within Quiet Storm, something stirred. She felt a warmth that fought against the chill of the air around her. It flowed through her veins, tingling within every limb and making her fur stand on end. She saw thunder, light, rivers, and stars in her vision a thousand times over. She felt her breath stolen from her lungs and forced back in. She felt an energy like a wildfire, which stayed within her, hot and burning but _welcome._

She blinked a few times, taking it all in. Her own yellow eyes met Wolf's white ones, and it seemed as if they were one creature.

Wolf smiled upon her. _"I will see you again soon, Quiet Storm. We will train in your dreams. I won't let you fight Coyote unprepared. But while you are awake, be on your guard. Coyote will not cease within Fallen Pine, and Fallen Pine will continue to try and spread Coyote's influence as far as he can reach. Coyote's power grows every day. You must resist it, but keep yourself safe. Do not let him know you speak to me."_

Quiet Storm nodded. She suddenly felt a determination to fight against Fallen Pine. _He wants to hurt my tribe, all of the tribes. I can't let that happen._

 _"But for now, I must go. You have many days of battle ahead of you, and I can only stay with you for so long in my weakness."_ Wolf dipped her head briefly and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Quiet Storm called. "…Why did you choose me? Why not a real sentry, or a scout, or Hare Leap?"

Wolf grinned, and looked over her shoulder. _"You were the only one who would listen."_

With that, she disappeared into the woods, and Quiet Storm felt her body lift back into the waking world.

 **AN: Thanks for reading chapter 4! What did you think of this chapter? What will training with Wolf be like? What did Coyote promise Fallen Pine? What more will Fallen Pine do with Coyote's power? Tell me in a review!**


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Quiet Storm settled down in front of the fledglings' den with a minnow in her mouth. She set it down between her paws, but didn't eat. Instead she just stared absently into the distance. Her mind swam with thoughts of her dream last night. _Was it real? Did Wolf really talk to me?_ It was all so confusing.

She flexed her claws. She did feel stronger somehow, more energized, just as she had felt in her dream. She took a breath, trying to clear her mind. _Wolf said she would visit again. I'll have to wait and see._

"Can I eat with you?" said Deer Eyes, walking up toward Quiet Storm.

She startled a bit. "Oh, yeah, yes," she stammered out. "Sorry, you surprised me."

Deer Eyes lied down beside her, a chipmunk in his paws. "No wonder. You were just staring, like a dead fish," he scoffed. "Is, um, something wrong?"

Quiet Storm shook her head. "I just had a weird dream last night." She paused, and bit into her minnow. She'd forgotten it was there, and only remembered when she felt her stomach rumble. "You said you didn't believe in the Stars the other day."

"Yep," said Deer Eyes simply.

Quiet Storm frowned. "Can I ask why?"

Deer Eyes took a breath. "I guess because there's not really any proof. The only people who can hear them are healers and leaders. Why don't regular cats hear them?"

 _I talked to Wolf,_ Quiet Storm considered saying, but held her tongue. Even she didn't know if she really did. "Oh. Where do you think dead cats go then?"

"I don't know. Nowhere, I suppose. Into the earth like plants."

Quiet Storm didn't really understand. But then again, maybe Deer Eyes didn't understand her. "I believe in the Stars," she began. "But I don't think I believe Fallen Pine."

"Kinda strange that he's suddenly the only one who can speak to the Stars, right?" said Deer Eyes. "Maybe it's all a ploy. Like the other healers are in on it too."

"Why would they be?"

"…I dunno. Never mind."

As if on cue, Fallen Pine emerged from his den and took to the Half Tree with a yowl. All of the cats in camp stared up at him, emerging from dens and gathering around him.

"Tribe of Many Rivers! The Stars have given another omen!" he called, flicking his tail.

Deer Eyes paid no attention to him, and continued eating his chipmunk. However, Quiet Storm stared up at him curiously. _Can Coyote give omens just like the Stars?_

"They have an important message for our tribe. 'Water and fire will claim the mountain.' These are their words, and they will soon be true." With that, Fallen Pine leapt down, his fur trailing behind him in a red-brown blur.

As his paws touched the ground, a rumble shook the sky. A droplet dripped onto Quiet Storm's head, followed by more, dappling the earth with dark spots. The rain quickly grew from a drizzle to a downpour, with puddles already forming on the edges of camp and the divots where cats frequently placed pawprints. The sky, which had been Falling Leaves Moon grey before, was suddenly dark and patchy with heavy clouds.

"Water," murmured Quiet Storm. _But it could still be only a coincidence…_ she assured herself, though the assurance wasn't much. Despite the rain wetting her pelt, her skin prickled like her fur was standing straight up.

"Quiet Storm!" called a familiar voice. A thick-bodied grey molly padded toward the two fledglings. It was Leaping Trout- her aunt. "I need you on patrol. We're going to gather some branches and moss to patch up the dens before it starts to storm too badly."

Quiet Storm nodded. She buried the bones of her minnow at the edge of camp, said a goodbye to Deer Eyes, and followed Leaping Trout. Lion's Pounce and Dawn Song were waiting at the camp entrance. The group of four padded into the territory, paws squelching on the muddy ground.

"We can stop here," said Lion's Pounce, shaking out his light tabby fur. Water droplets scattered in every direction. "The pine trees here should've sheltered some moss from the rain. Try to get big pieces."

Quiet Storm approached at pine tree with low branches, crouching to look underneath. Sure enough, moss covered the roots, a bit damp but not so wet that it would be impossible to pry up. She unsheathed her claws and started to pry up the moss, careful not to tear it into small pieces.

As she was digging up the moss, thunder rolled overhead. The sound made her jump, and she knocked her head against a low branch, shaking dry pine needles on top of her. They stuck to her wet pelt.

"Mousedung," she muttered.

Soon after the thunder, lightning flashed through the sky. She quickly finished up gathering the moss and looked up at the other cats. Leaping Trout carried a bundle of pliable twigs in her mouth. Dawn Song and Lion's Pounce grasped thick pads of moss.

"Should we head back?" said Leaping Trout through a mouthful of sticks. "That sounded close."

Dawn Song shook her head. "We need more twigs. Quiet Storm, give me that moss and help Leaping Trout out with the sticks. Find ones that can bend."

Quiet Storm nodded and dropped the moss at Dawn Song's paws. She padded over to where Leaping Trout was and began to gather up sticks, testing their bend with her paws.

"We're going to bring the moss back to camp. We'll be back in a minute," said Lion's Pounce. He gathered up the pile of moss he'd gathered and started back toward camp.

Another thunderclap sounded overhead. It rumbled from the sky to the earth, shaking the ground. Quiet Storm felt her fur stand up, and there was a slight buzz in her ears. The other cats stood still, on alert.

A flash of white light filled the sky seconds after the thunder. The bright bolt of lightning connected with a nearby pine tree, setting it ablaze. Fire quickly caught onto dead branches, pine needles, and leaf litter, and a thick, wet smoke filled the air.

"Run to the river!" called Leaping Trout, taking off in the river's direction.

But Quiet Storm wasn't listening. She was fixated on the fire, how it crackled and destroyed. Trees were already charred around them. She willed her paws to move and ran, but not toward the river. Dawn Song and Lion's Pounce had already left along with Leaping Trout, but the path they had taken was now blocked by a wall of flame.

She ran toward camp. Her heart was pumping fast, and as loud as the thunder she had just heard. She could only think of getting to camp, getting them out…

"Fire!" she yowled, running into the middle of camp.

Cats all around scattered with yowls and cries of surprise. The blaze was approaching in the distance, a cloud of black smoke following it. Rain was falling still, but it did hardly anything against the growing fire.

Blood rushed in Quiet Storm's ears. She quickly made her way toward the nursery. She had to get them out before it caught fire. She burst into the den, expecting to see a queen, her mate, and three kits. But only the heavily pregnant Rippling Water was there, hauling herself to her paws.

Quiet Storm stood, stunned for a moment, trying to clear her mind away. It was only Rippling Water, there hadn't been anyone else for moons…

She helped Rippling Water to her paws, supporting her out of the nursery.

"Rippling Water!" exclaimed Clever Raven, moving to support his mate on the other side. "Thank you, Quiet Storm. I can help her from here. Get out of camp."

Quiet Storm nodded and broke away. When she looked up, she could see the fire closely, approaching the grassy border of the dried lake that formed camp. She fixated on it, crackling and popping around camp. It would devour the whole camp again, leaving nothing.

The rain picked up, fat drops rolling off of her slick fur. They pelted the ground hard enough to leave indents in the mud. The fire grew smaller and smaller, defeated by rain. It dissipated until all that was left was wet ash and a few glowing embers. It had stopped just short of creeping into camp and setting the dens ablaze.

"Water and fire," Fallen Pine declared. He walked into camp at the head of the other cats, along with Hare Leap. He had an air of pride about him. "Let all who still doubt the Stars' return be silent," he purred.

 **AN: Thanks for reading chapter 5! Did Wolf really talk to Quiet Storm? Why was she looking for kits? What do you think will happen next? Tell me in a review!**


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